Statement on Stem Cells   The ethical problem of human embryonic stem cell research is the source of the cells. Living human embryos must be destroyed in the process of taking their stem cells. It is never ethically acceptable to intentionally destroy a human being, no matter how small. Pro's and Con's of Stem Cell Research   Science is moving at warp speed these days -- cloning, gene therapy, miracle drugs, exotic therapies, etc. One of the most significant breakthroughs came in November 1998, when two separate researchers successfully isolated stem cells from human embryos and aborted fetuses. The impassioned hopes are that these stem cells can be used to great advantage. The cautious fears are that innocent and vulnerable human beings are destroyed, and needlessly so, in the process. On Human Embryos and Medical Research   Recent scientific advances in human stem cell research have brought into fresh focus the dignity and status of the human embryo. These advances have prompted a decision by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund stem cell research which is dependent upon the destruction of human embryos.